Taylor Hebert with a Deck of Cards [Worm] [MtG]

Our deck will be Insects 2 plus Zask, Skittering Swarmlord, Necrotic Wound, and Winslow High.


A view of crystalline appendages slithering into something bright fades, and she returns to the awful present. The vision fades from her memory as she tries to consider it, but the feeling of power that came with it, a certainty that reality would bend before her will, remains. Taylor takes as deep a huff as she can stand of her bloody, vermin-infested surroundings, and opens her mind.
Your opening hand is 3 Forests, a Thriving Grove, Crawling Sensation, Kraul Foragers, and Moldgraf Millipede.
Taylor focuses on this unknown power, hoping it'll get her out of this locker. She doesn't care about outing herself, she just wants to be safe and away from the filth.
As she plays a Forest, she feels the contours of a foreign land made familiar. Senses the inhabitants of the Forest and the veins of crystal that crisscross it.
She plays another, and feels the same, crystal fingers and all.
A third results in the same feeling, then she plays Thriving Grove. She senses all the different life in the Grove and is made to choose what to focus on, the rocks, the mud, the open, or the water. She can't help but focus on the mud, due to her current surroundings, and though she doesn't recognize it, she feels her first potential for Black mana.
She can tell it's not enough, but she can access more. She focuses on her cards, visualizes them, and feels a moment of triumph as another forms: Nantuko Cultivator. She can tell, she's built up enough of whatever power her Power works off of to use this one. But at the moment of her triumph, she hesitates; does she really want to out herself immediately? She knows that using this would bring some sort of creature out, one that she instinctively knows she could control, but it's not a subtle power.
Does she get out now, or wait in hopes of the janitor's mercy (and test out her new power later)?
Vote:
[X] Escape the box of filth!
[X] You've survived worse, probably. And you're already in here, how much worse can it get? Wait for the janitor.
[X] Write-In a plan

There are consequences regardless of which way the vote goes, so have at it!

 

She summons the Nantuko Cultivator and yells out (not for the first time) "Get me out of here!". Even as muffled as it is by the locker, her command is understood, and razor sharp spined claws rend into the metal of the locker, very nearly cutting her open, and within moments, she's free. She stumbles outwards along with a slough of disgusting hygiene products, and sees her summon for the first time. At the same time, a feeling enters her mind of a new card, entering her deck: Daring Escape. It's different from the others, and she knows she wouldn't be able to cast it with her connection to the Forests.
A chittering voice issues from her summons mouth, and she can tell it's in a language she's never heard before, but she understands, "What should I do? I see no enemies about."
For that matter, there isn't anyone about in the immediate aftermath of her escape, maybe at least some details of her power can be obscured. The torn open locker is going to be a red flag, though. She has a limited number of options, however...

Power Vote (feel free to vote for multiple options):
[X] Draw a card. Maybe you can find a solution in your Power.
[X] Play Crawling Sensation. You don't fully understand what it does, but you know it'll give you some sort of area power about bugs.
[X] Don't use your power.
Plan Vote (this time only pick one):
[X] Find the school phone, call the PRT, they'll know what to do.
[X] Run. Your summon is going to be obvious and you don't know how to get rid of it.
[X] Tell your summon to hide, then clean up and continue with your day. Everything has to seem normal.
[X] Write-In a plan

 

"Nantuko, your job is to move all this filth into this waste bin." Without further ado, the giant insect begins doing as she says. It's strange, she feels... powerful. She supposes that's what led her to drawing a card, a Forest. She plays it, basking in the feeling of connection to an unknown land. As the Nantuko works, she draws another card, a Caustic Caterpillar. A summon that can use itself up to destroy something? Nevermind, class is more than halfway over by the wall clock. She heads to the showers, leaving the summon behind, but she could still feel its presence, walls and rooms away, with her mind.
Before class is over, she heads back to find the Nantuko scraping the last of the mess out of her locker, its contents were a loss. Should she try using this Caustic Caterpillar to destroy the evidence? She orders the Nantuko to hide itself and heads out to catch the bus, damp clothes and all.

On the bus, she feels the Nantuko on the school roof, huddling behind the roof's lip, when she discovers the extent of her range, or at least a reasonable guess at her range, maybe half a mile? The Nantuko is somewhere that she can't help but refer to as her graveyard, where it'll stay, at least for now.
As she's stepping off the bus, she feels a new card enter her deck, Aradara Express. It's like a strange, fantasy-punk echo of the bus she just stepped off. She could summon it, but she doesn't think she'd be able to drive it by herself. She doesn't need it for now, though, home is only blocks away.

Caustic Caterpillar Vote:
[X] Destroy the evidence.
[X] You don't think adding some kind of power-produced acid to the situation will help.

Power Vote:
[X] Cast Crawling Sensation. You want a better idea of what it does.
[X] Summon another creature (Kraul Foragers or Moldgraf Millipede)
[X] Draw more cards.
[X] Take a break from using your power.

Plan Vote:
[X] Tell Dad nothing, hide all evidence of power use.
[X] When your Dad gets home from work, sit him down and demonstrate your Powers for him. Tell him you want to (Be a Hero or Not Become a Cape)
[X] Write-in a plan

 

With the locker successfully chopped up and fed to the Caterpillar she summoned, Taylor is only blocks away from home. The Caterpillar died from all the toxic waste it ate, but it got it down the hatch first, and all evidence disappeared with it when it died. She draws a card, Relentless Pursuit, and tries to draw another immediately only to discover that she can't. She tries again, and the resistance lessens, only for her to succeed about a minute after her last draw, drawing a Forest. One card per minute seems reasonable, but she's able to get around it by using Relentless Pursuit, which brings to her awareness a Forest, an Ironshell Beetle, a Giant Ladybug, and Zask, Skittering Swarmlord. She takes the Forest and the Zask, which she can tell is special, though she can't tell how, aside from that it seems named and she knows it has to do with insects and the place her Nantuko Cultivator and Caustic Caterpillar went, her 'graveyard'. The Ironshell Beetle and Giant Ladybug go to the graveyard when they aren't selected to join her hand. She plays a Forest, her 6th land, and considers what to do next. As she sweeps into the house, the card she draws is Necrotic Wound. This one's different from most of the others she's seen in that it's Black. She's also pretty sure if she used this on a person they'd die. Unless they're somehow a really strong person, like Lung or Hookwolf. As she plans, she fixes herself some leftover mashed potatoes and draws another card, Hunter's Edge. This one she can't play because it requires an (enemy) target that's not her or one of her summons, but as the card enters her mind, she feels pleasantly full.

Power Vote (This time, you have time, vote for as many options as you'd like, I'll consider the lack of a vote for to be a vote against):
[X] Use the time before Dad gets home to summon Zask, and try to get information out of your Power.
[X] You're pretty sure this is a bad idea, but you want to test that Necrotic Wound card, and you don't have anyone else to test on.
[X] Draw more cards, you don't see any downside to having more cards in your hand.
[X] Go to the Boat Graveyard to test out your summons.
[X] Write-in Power testing and use ideas

Pacing Vote (Vote for how much time you want the next couple updates to cover, if you choose a longer time period, you'll get more cards during the 'wait'):
[X] Days
[X] Weeks
[X] Months

Plan Vote:
[X] Don't go to unfamiliar places, stick to your routine, no need to stand out.
[X] Spend some time researching the cape scene at the library, whatever you do, you want to be prepared.
[X] Spend some time at Lord's Street Market, trying to gather items for your costume (describe what kinds of items you're looking for)
[X] Start skipping school, use that time to get in shape. If you want to be a hero, you're gonna need it.
[X] Write-In a plan or combination of plans.

 

She flicks on the rarely used light to the basement before scrambling down the stairs, better to do this away from windows and somewhere her Dad won't go. She summons Zask, Skittering Swarmlord and nearly shrieks as a bright green millipede larger than she is nestles up to her. Only the knowledge that she was in control kept her from making an awful first impression. The crowned insect lifted it's face towards hers and carefully chittered "I am here to serve, perhaps we might summon your Ironshell Beetle to reinforce your fragile body?"
She can feel the Ironshell Beetle card in her graveyard, and knows that, now she has Zask out, she can cast it from there. She does so after playing a Forest, and feels she can choose to reinforce herself, Zask, or the Beetle itself. As Zask suggested, she chooses herself and feels a comforting sensation of invisible armor touching gently against her skin, before it fades until needed.
"Zask, can you tell me where you come from?" she asks.
"I come from another world, my home is called Shandalar, where my swarm fights against a greater threat, but that me is not here. I am an echo of myself, YOUR echo of myself" Zask responds, voice nearly illegible, but you seem to have no trouble understanding it.
"What are your powers?" She asks, wanting to understand her summon fully.
"All my abilities aside from my claws and my brawn are used through you, as I have no mana of my own. With your mana, I can grant venom to any insect, and we can use land connections and insects that have gone to your graveyard." explains the millipede.
She's not sure whether to be relieved or disappointed that it can't use powers without her.

After leaving her summons downstairs to hide, she went through the motions of the evening like usual, barely seeing her Dad when he finally got home. Her summons fade when she sleeps.
The next day she plans on going to the library, but it's at school when things come to a head, and not in the way she expected. The bitches didn't let up, meeting her in the morning with a tirade of insults, holding their noses as if she stunk, etc. Oddly, though, Sophia stayed out of it, she just watched. Eventually, by the time the bell rang, the girls had scurried off, except for Sophia. And when she tried to slip past, Sophia grabbed her shoulder. She backed off, not wanting to see where this goes; but Sophia doesn't get violent, she just glares. When they're alone, Sophia demands "How'd you get out of the locker?"
"What are you talking about?" She tries to deny, but Sophia isn't having it.
"I covered for you, this time, but you've got to tell me what you triggered with, or else"

Power Vote:
[X] Crawling Sensation!
[X] Draw cards!
[X] Nothing.

Sophia Vote:
[X] Tell her you have a power, and she'd better back off or you'll use it on her.
[X] Tell her you have a power, and have the ability to summon creatures.
[X] Tell her you don't know what she's talking about, the janitor let you out of the locker (Winslow has a rotating shift of janitors)
[X] Tell her something else (Write-In)

 

She smiles in spite of the circumstance and delves into the feeling of her Power. She feels a new hand of 7 cards and a lack of connection to the lands she had bonded to. Her power reset overnight. She fights off panic at the fact she can't cast anything right now, but her hand isn't useless. She has Thriving Grove, Forest, Necrotic Wound, Daring Escape, Circuit Mender, Relentless Pursuit, and Kraul Foragers. She can play Thriving Grove to open up the ability to play either Necrotic Wound or Daring Escape. Necrotic Wound wouldn't do much now, the graveyard is empty. Daring Escape would momentarily speed her up and strengthen her, while also giving her a glimpse at her deck. She plays Thriving Grove and feels a myriad connection form, choosing how to focus its mana.
Before she gets a chance to do more than play a land, a fist is pushed into her stomach and she doubles over. She draws a card in time with the blow, it's Zask, Skittering Swarmlord. She's 5 mana short of sending an enormous millipede crawling down this bitch's throat. "Still just a loser, I guess. Let me know if you ever figure out how to use that power of yours." In time with her words, Taylor gets a new card, Barbarian Bully. Sophia turns to walk away.

[X] Choose red with the Thriving Grove, and use Daring Escape to strike back before she gets away.
[X] Don't blow your shot, there's no need to use your power here.

During Math with Mr. Quinlan, at the end of the school day, she's forced to go into the book to figure out an equation, lest she have to ask for help, and to her surprise, she earns a card, Compulsive Research. She doesn't have a way to access blue mana, so it feels less than helpful. She draws an 8th card, Ironshell Beetle, and feels a pressure to discard a card, she has a maximum hand size of 7, she supposes. She discards a Kraul Foragers.

Later that day, at the Brockton Bay Central Library, she compiles a list of capes in the city, their costumes, their alignment with respect to the law, and, if known, their power. It's as she's searching for anyone she's missed (She's up to 53 capes) that she gets not one, but two new cards, Brockton Bay Central Library (Legendary Land, taps for Blue, Pays Blue and taps to draw a card and discard a card) and Combat Research. The first is her first source of blue mana, and the second is some sort of trump effect that'd let me draw as someone fights and, if they're... something, they get stronger and a resistance to powers. She knows it'd apply to her or Zask, but not to the Ironshell Beetle, or any of her other summons. She doesn't know whether it'd apply to other people.

That night as she lies awake, she gets Night//Day. She's up to 30 cards, she gets the sense that as she gets more she'll be able to separate some out, somehow. She dreams of crystals growing outwards, from green foliage to golden grains, and wakes up with a Plains.

The next day, Wednesday, Emma approaches her before class "Hey loser, Sophia told me about your... episode. Gonna cry yourself to sleep for a week?" She references old confidences Taylor had had with her, and Taylor snaps, striking her across the face. Emma looks smug, and turns to the overseeing Mr. Gladly, who Taylor hadn't seen. The experience results in two things, Rookie Mistake being added to her deck, and detention, no matter how she explained the provocation.

Sitting in detention after school, she focuses on her power, and it draws her to connect to the land first, adding a second Winslow High School card to her deck (Legendary Land, Taps for Black, Pays 1 and Taps for 1 of any color Mana). After that connection she feels something else, and after carefully observing Mr. Gladly overseeing her detention, she gets as close a match as her power is willing to provide, Deputy of Detention.

That Thursday, she earned another Compulsive Research when she wrote her Vietnam War report for World Affairs. During lunch, dodging her tormentors earns her a Hidden Predators. After school she heads back to the library, to look into how other capes debut, and maybe get some ideas about how they get costumes. She discovers that Parian, down at the Boardwalk, takes custom orders from capes. That's more expensive than she can afford now, but something to keep in mind. She gets a second Brockton Bay Central Library card while she's at it. She also gets her list up to 55 capes to watch out for.

She dreams that night of crystalline growth stretching out onto the shore, into the water and the sand beneath it. She wakes up with an Island. Her hand this Friday is Forest, Forest, Plains, Giant Ladybug, Daring Escape, Hunter's Edge, and Compulsive Research.

Power Vote (feel free to vote for multiple):
[X] Get into the habit of drawing and playing lands in the morning to get yourself started.
[X] Play your lands and Giant Ladybug, have the ladybug hide in the basement. Draw an island off the ladybug and use it to play Compulsive Research.
[X] Leave your hand unused for now.
[X] Write-in power experiments for over the weekend.

Plan Vote:
[X] Go to Lord's Street Market, look for misc costume pieces (describe what you're looking for)
[X] Get in shape, if you're gonna be a hero, you're gonna need it.
[X] Reach out to Parian, get a quote on a costume.
[X] Explore and try to connect to as many places as possible over the weekend.
[X] Write-in a plan!

 

She plays a Forest, then a Plains, then a Forest, and then she heads to the basement. She summons the Giant Ladybug, it's the size of a very small car. She chooses her Island to go to the top of her library, and draws a card. She plays the Island, then, as soon as her mana feels available again, casts Compulsive Research. She draws two Forests and a Caustic Caterpillar, and discards a Forest. As she does she feels a mental rush, and realizes that she thinks faster when she casts card draw. She's not sure how to use that, but it's good to know. She draws a few more cards the slow way, taking a minute between them, and gets Zask, Skittering Swarmlord and Ironshell Beetle. She summons the Ironshell Beetle and uses its effect to reinforce herself, might as well see how long this lasts. She plays another Forest, her 5th land, and draws three more cards. She gets a Forest and a Winslow High School, then an Aradara Express; leaving her with those, Zask, a Caustic Caterpillar, Daring Escape, and Hunter's Edge.

She leaves behind her Ladybug and Beetle when she heads off to school, but while they fade to her graveyard, the defenses her Ironshell Beetle gave her remain. It lasts all through the school day, and Taylor tests it by stabbing herself progressively harder with a pencil between classes. She broke the pencil, but it did pinch her skin as it broke. She realizes what the consequences of her actions would be if her arm had been the one to fail only after, when she gets a card, Reckless Abandon, for her trouble.

She gets through the school day and decides to jog home, her power emboldening her to cross streets she would've avoided two weeks ago. As she makes her way there she gets Homeward Path. That night she dreams of becoming a Hero, only for people to scream and run away when they realize her power creates giant millipedes.

On Saturday, she wakes up with 2 Forests, a Hidden Predators, a Kraul Harpooner, a Giant Ladybug, a Night//Day, and a Circuit Mender. She plays both Forests and draws two cards to replace them, getting a Rookie Mistake and a Crawling Sensation. She plays Hidden Predators, which she knows will stay invisibly out of the way until she needs protection from something serious, then it'll step in; and she draws another card, Zask. She draws an 8th card, wanting a 3rd land and prepared to discard if she doesn't get one, but she gets an Island, which she plays. She's going urban exploring today, at the Boat Graveyard. She tells her dad she's headed to the library, not wanting to explain, and heads out.

She jogs what's optimistically halfway there before losing her will and catching a bus, stepping onto which gives her another Aradara Express. When she steps off the bus, she's at the Lord's Port, AKA the Boat Graveyard. From the outlook she's on she can see the sunk ships in the bay, and the derelicts trapped in the port. She sits down at a bench and tries to feel for any kind of connection, and it's not long before she establishes one. The Boat Graveyard, a legendary land that enters tapped and taps for Blue or Black. She explores, even getting onto a few of the hulls, and she picks up a generic Island card too. On her way back, she picks up a Plains from part of the city.

On Sunday, she wakes up with 2 Forests, an Island, a Brockton Bay Central Library, 2 Aradara Expresses, and a Night//Day. Today she plans on going to visit Captain's Hill. There's an open air auditorium outside the government building there that she bets could be a legendary land. Before she goes she plays Forest, Forest, Island, BBC Library, then draws 4 cards, getting Zask, Skittering Swarmlord, Winslow High School, Kraul Foragers, and Nantuko Cultivator. She takes the bus to the western side of the city, and gets off right outside the government building. Sure enough, 5 minutes later, she's wandering off with her legendary land, Captain's Hill, which taps for White or Red. She finds a park with some cliff faces that'd shade it in the afternoon, and gets a Mountain for her trouble. She comes across Triumph and Browbeat on patrol in the afternoon.

Plan Vote:
[X] Approach Triumph and Browbeat, ask for a handshake.
[X] Don't approach the patrolling heroes, they're busy.
[X] Approach Triumph and Browbeat, ask how an independent hero would go about registering.

Deck Vote (your deck is large enough now that you can cut cards, they'll go to your sideboard, where they'll remain unless you decide to use them):
[X] Cut Daring Escape, the Mountain, Captain's Hill, and Deputy of Detention
[X] Cut Rookie Mistake, Combat Research, and both Compulsive Research
[X] Write-in 4 cards to cut.

 

On one of the derelict ships, on Saturday, obscured from sight by the ship's walls, she summons Circuit Mender. As it comes, she feels a surge of something, something hearty. The robo-bug wanders off a ways to start repairing the wiring of the ship. This could be useful, but for now she orders it to stop.

During her dreams, she sorts through the deck, and she wakes up having cut out both Aradara Expresses, Barbarian Bully, and Compulsive Research. They go to her sideboard, where she could re-add them to the deck if the need came up. On Monday, she wakes up with Captain's Hill, Brockton Bay Central Library, Thriving Grove, a Forest, a Night//Day, a Relentless Pursuit, and a Hunter's Edge in hand. She plays Captain's Hill and BBC Library, feeling connections to both places form in her head. The Library is empty this time of morning, but there's already a light buzz of activity around Captain's Hill. She can't tell much more than that. She draws 2 cards, getting 2 Forests, and plays a Thriving Grove, choosing Black, and a Forest. Then she draws another 2 cards to replace those, getting Deputy of Detention and Caustic Caterpillar. She casts Relentless Pursuit, getting a Homeward Path and a Moldgraf Millipede, putting a Reckless Abandon and a Combat Research into our graveyard. After playing a Forest and a Homeward Path, she draws 2 more cards, Zask, Skittering Swarmlord, and a Plains. She plays the Plains and goes about her new morning routine of going out jogging.
She gets back in time to bundle off to school. It's as she's approaching school that she sees Sophia talking to a group of jocks, loitering around the front of the school. As Sophia makes eye contact with her she gets a Lash of Malice added to her sideboard. During the school day, she catches a few nasty looks from that group of jocks. She doesn't even know most of their names. She hides out in a less-used bathroom during lunch, and makes it to the end of the day further incident than the receipt of a Feeling of Dread card. It's as she's leaving the school that she realizes, they were waiting for her. They chase after her, so she runs away. Towards the bus stop... and past the bus stop, because the bus isn't here and who knows what they'll do if they catch her. She's made it another 3 blocks by the time one of them grabs her leg. She takes an involuntary dive, but spins and squirms out of his grip. She sees the boys start to gather in front of her and is rewarded by her power with a Spiteful Squad. Not very helpful right now. To her horror, one of the boys pulls out a coil of rope.

Response Vote:
[X] Hunter's Edge, targeting you and one of them.
[X] Use Night on one of them
[X] Day, it should strengthen you up to fend them off
[X] Summon Zask, Skittering Swarmlord
[X] Summon a Moldgraf Millipede
[X] Desperately try to draw cards.
[X] Go down fighting, but not by using your power.
[X] Take your lumps, try to persuade them to take it easy on you.

 

She casts Day, and feels the bright sunlight empowering her. The one in the lead goes for a gut shot, and she catches his hand with supernatural strength. If she were more practiced, she would've turned the catch into a throw or something else to deal with the fool, but instead she just lets him go; then dodges backward when he swings again. She shoves him backward, into his crew, and most of them stumble. One that doesn't lose his footing tries to go for a tackle, and manages to take her down, but she makes sure he lands on bottom, and swings her bag around into his gut. That should keep him down for now. She scurries to her feet, and is faced by 3 boys, all looking somewhat more wary than before. Two of them go for grabs, but she sweeps away their hands and goes for a headbutt on the one in front. He drops, but it gives the 3rd boy a chance to grapple her. He starts laying punches into her gut, and they hurt, but it's a distant sensation. She lifts him off of her by the scruff of his neck, and almost casually throws him at a nearby brick building. She feels strong, but she can tell she only has moments left of this strength. The boy she landed on earlier and the one she didn't headbutt are now standing warily a few meters away, fists raised. "Take your friends and GO" you say, the strength of the sun empowering your voice; and Day runs out.

Fortunately for Taylor's freshly depowered self, they take your advice, grabbing Headbutt and Scruff and fleeing. She feels the familiar rush of a new card being added to her sideboard, Enduring Victory. She gathers her bag from where it was tossed, walks back to the bus, and tries to calm her heartbeat as she makes her way home. That could've gone badly.

Tuesday goes without a hitch, she picks up a 3rd copy of Winslow High School, then after school goes to the woody park near Captain's Hill and picks up a Forest and a Chatter of the Squirrel.

Tuesday night she dreams of crystalline expansion and plentiful weeds.
Wednesday morning she wakes up with an extra Plains in her sideboard. She gets her World Affairs assignment stolen by Madison, but Mr. Gladly tells them to 'resolve it themselves', so all she gets out of it is an Academic Dispute card. This afternoon she goes to the Boat Graveyard again, she picks up an Island as well as a 2nd Boat Graveyard card, and after seeing and avoiding someone stripping something out of the walls, she gets a Shoreline Scavenger, too.

On Thursday, she plays the Brockton Bay Central Library out of her hand along with 2 Forests, and draws card to replace them, she plays another Forest, draws a card, and is left with a Giant Ladybug, Reckless Abandon, Kraul Foragers, Nantuko Cultivator, Crawling Sensation, Necrotic Wound, and Night // Day. She has Green and Blue mana, the Giant Ladybug could get her Red, Black, or White.

Giant Ladybug Vote:
[X] Search up White mana, Day was useful before, and it's non-obvious.
[X] Search up some Black mana, Night and Necrotic Wound are today's tools.
[X] Search up Red mana, Reckless Abandon needs testing.
[X] Don't use it yet, wait till you need it.

Crawling Sensation Vote:
[X] Play Crawling Sensation.
[X] Don't play Crawling Sensation.

After School Vote:
[X] Go back to the woods near Captain's Hill.
[X] Swim out to one of the ships in the Boat Graveyard.
[X] Go shopping for misc costume pieces at the Lord's Street Market.
[X] Write-in a plan!

 

She draws her Plains off her Giant Ladybug, then plays it and draws a card to replace it, Zask, Skittering Swarmlord. She plays Crawling Sensation, and feels a pressure. By 'letting go', she mills two cards, a Winslow High School and a Combat Research. The pressure mostly abates, but builds back up over the course of a minute. She doesn't have to let it go, but drawing a card required her to release the pressure and mill 2. She mills 2 and draws one, milling a Captain's Hill and a Hunter's Edge; drawing a Rookie Mistake.
That morning, she investigates a reported nest of Cicada Killers. She arrives at school more than an hour early, before most of even the teachers. She heads out to the bleachers behind the football field, and sure enough she finds a hive of wasps. She lets several land on her, and doesn't get stung, so she gets closer, until she can reach out and touch the hive. This irritates the wasps, a few of which start to sting her, giving her a Hornet Sting and, as she rests her hand on the hive, a Hornet Nest. She starts to back off as the stinging starts to get to her, and winds up with a second Hornet Sting card and a dozen of the genuine article pressed into her skin. At least they mostly avoided the face. Her hands are already swollen.
During school, the stings quickly become the target of ridicule, but she ignores them, delving into the feeling of connection to the land to avoid reacting.
After school, she catches a bus to the market, her allowance heavy in her pocket. She had saved up $116, and was now prepared to spend as much of that as necessary to get a cape costume. She gravitates towards a used motocross outfit, lightly armored and in black with a blue stripe. As she handles it, she gets a Leather Armor card. It's priced at $40, and there's a helmet, similarly black and blue, for an extra $20. There's another helmet in white and red, also $20. As an alternative to the motocross suit, there's a used flak jacket for sale for $20. By perusing the boots at another stall, she gets Boots of Speed and Swiftfoot Boots; but none of the real boots fit her. She finds a nice set of working gloves for $15, but doesn't get a card for that. She sees another booth with self defense stuff, and ponders picking up Pepper Spray for $10. Then she gets distracted by the swords booth and picks up a Wall of Swords and a Sword of Vengeance as she imagines using one of them to lop Emma's head off. She also picks up a Utility Knife. The market closes before she can get any further, but it feels like a productive day.

[X] Buy the motocross suit, the matching helmet, and the gloves (-$75)
[X] Buy the flak jacket, the white and red helmet, and the gloves (-$55)
[X] Buy the motocross suit, the matching helmet, the gloves, and some pepper spray (-$85)
[X] Don't buy anything, rely entirely on your power's ability to replicate items.

She picks up a Plains by connecting to the land around her house, and dreams of a bog overgrown with crystals, gaining a Swamp.

List of Cards:
1 Kraul Harpooner
1 Circuit Mender
1 Nantuko Cultivator
1 Caustic Caterpillar
1 Ironshell Beetle
1 Kraul Foragers
1 Moldgraf Millipede
1 Crawling Sensation
1 Relentless Pursuit
1 Hunter's Edge
1 Thriving Grove
7 Forest
2 Plains
1 Swamp
2 Island
1 Mountain
1 Boat Graveyard (Enters tapped; T: Add B or U)
1 Captain's Hill (Enters tapped; T: Add W or R)
2 Zask, Skittering Swarmlord
1 Giant Ladybug
1 Necrotic Wound
2 Winslow High School (T: Add B; 1, T: Add 1 of any color)
1 Daring Escape
2 Aradara Express
1 Combat Research
2 Brockton Bay Central Library (T: Add U; U, T: Draw a card, then discard a card.)
1 Barbarian Bully
1 Compulsive Research
1 Night//Day
1 Deputy of Detention
1 Rookie Mistake
1 Hidden Predators
1 Reckless Abandon
1 Homeward Path
1 Lash of Malice
1 Feeling of Dread
1 Spiteful Squad
1 Enduring Victory
1 Chatter of the Squirrel
1 Academic Dispute
1 Shoreline Scavenger
1 Hornet Sting
1 Hornet Nest
1 Leather Armor
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Boots of Speed
1 Wall of Swords
1 Sword of Vengeance
1 Utility Knife

Taylor has 61 cards now, and it's time to make cuts. Compile a list of 40 cards to have active. The other 21 will be in the sideboard.

 

On Friday, February 11th, Taylor draws a Winslow High School, a Forest, a Chatter of the Squirrel, a Moldgraf Millipede, a Giant Ladybug, a Nantuko Cultivator, and a Night//Day. After playing the Forest and Winslow, she draws Rookie Mistake, a Hidden Predators, and a Forest, which she plays. She also plays Hidden Predators, knowing that it'll only trigger if she's in serious danger. She draws a Caustic Caterpillar to fill her hand back up.

At school, Sophia manages to catch her between classes. She's trying to get down from the 3rd floor after eating her lunch up there, but Sophia moves to shove her down the stairs.

Rookie Mistake Vote:
[X] Use Rookie Mistake. It'll look natural and she'll be the one to take a tumble.
[X] There's no sense using your powers here. Take the L, and the bruises to go with it.
After school, she draws a card on the jog home, a Plains, which she plays. She draws another, a Swamp, which she plays. Another, a Zask, Skittering Swarmlord, which she discards a Chatter of the Squirrel to make room for.

Scouting Vote:
[X] When you get home, send Zask to scout out abandoned properties nearby, looking for signs of gang habitation.
[X] Sending Zask out would be too risky, with chances of them being seen. Stay passive for now.

On Saturday, her hand doesn't do much for her. She spends the day reading an old fantasy book of her mother's, and gets not 1 but 2 copies of Rousing Read. She ends the day feeling antsy and wanting to accomplish something. So it is that on Sunday, she draws her opening hand of Winslow High School, Leather Armor, Swiftfoot Boots, Necrotic Wound, Moldgraf Millipede, Hunter's Edge, and Hornet Sting. She plays Winslow and draws a card, a Forest, which she also plays. She draws Utility Knife. She has Leather Armor, which is what her current costume amounts to. Should she use a kerchief and beanie as a makeshift mask and go out?

Sunday Vote:
[X] Go out, but not until evening. Go after one of the gang hideouts that Zask found. (Only doable if you send Zask scouting)
[X] Go into the PRT to register as an independent hero.
[X] Go out, but not until evening. Patrol the docks looking for trouble.

 

She casts Rookie Mistake, and suddenly her footing is as stable as it's ever been, and Sophia's attempt to shove her fails hysterically. Sophia had tried to shoulder-check her, but barely brushed her as she falls past her, down the stairs. That's gonna bruise.

Zask's scouting turns up what them and Taylor conclude is a druggie flophouse of some sort, given that it's inhabited by too many strung out idiots on cots and lots and lots of drugs. Enough that it has to be a storehouse for them or a distribution point. Zask noted that the most sober of the bunch was wearing Merchant colors.

On Sunday Taylor grabs her beanie and bandana and shoves them in her pocket before joining her father for lunch. Afterwards she makes the excuse that she's going to the library before heading downtown. She finds the nearest alley to the PRT office, and casts Leather Armor and Utility Knife. Both appear in her hands, a set of leather armor that looks next to impossible to get into and a handle capable of folding out several blades of different sizes and edges. She equips the Leather Armor, and it molds itself to her form as it wraps around her, leaving her with full coverage of her torso, neck, arms, and legs. And she can still access the pockets of her jeans underneath to get the bandana and beanie.
She slips those on as she draws a card, it's a Forest, so she plays it. She feels after a few moments that her mana's refreshed, so she casts Swiftfoot Boots, which appear in her empty hand, and she equips them, which seamlessly moves them onto her feet, which she swears they would've been too small for before the equip. She draws another card, Rookie Mistake. As her mana refreshes, she equips the Utility Knife, which gives it a nice holster at her waist, and gives her intimate knowledge of what each of those blades is best for; from splitting fruit to bleeding an enemy.
She draws another 2 cards over the next couple minutes, and plays the Forest and Plains as she gets them. She draws to replace them and gets Brockton Bay Central Library and a Circuit Mender. She plays the Library and draws to replace it, Zask, Skittering Swarmlord. Now she feels ready.

She walks out onto the street, and before getting to the PRT building, she's taken note of by a few nervous bystanders. One of whom is hurriedly taking out a smartphone, but you continue past them, to the office of the Parahuman Response Team. She briefly ponders that name as she steps into the lobby, and towards the receptionist, "Hello, I'd like to register as an independent Hero, please"
"Of course!" The receptionist looks somewhat surprised, but handles it like a champ, simply asking "And what should I tell them your name is?"

Name Vote:
[X] Write-in

After a brief wait, she's shown to a nice but boring conference room, where she's met by a smiling brunette in his 30s, "Hi, I'm Lucas Townsend, I'll be conducting your intake interview. Are you able to demonstrate your powers in a verifiable way? If you need more space we can move to the gym."

Power Display Vote:
[X] "Yes, I can summon a large robotic insect."
[X] "Yes, I can summon a large millipede."
[X] "Yes, I can sting someone that volunteers. It'll hurt."
[X] "No, I'm not willing to demonstrate my powers at present."
[X] Write-in

Power Explanation Vote:
[X] Explain how your power works to the best of your knowledge.
[X] Explain that you can learn new powers, but obfuscate the card mechanic.
[X] Explain that you have a variety of powers, and access to only a limited number at a time, but hide that you can gain new powers.
[X] Explain only what powers you demonstrate.
[X] Try to pass yourself off as a tinker, having 'made' your equipment.
[X] Write-in

 

"I'll go by Wildcard"

She verifies her powers by summoning Circuit Mender. Lucas seems suitably impressed as the beetle shows off the patterns on its wings.
"What else are you willing to tell us about your powers?" Lucas inquires.
"I have access to a variety of powers, but only a limited number at a time. I'd rather not get into all my powers, but I can summon assorted objects and creatures." Taylor explains.
"We can provide you with a PRT-issue cell phone for coordination with us, for reporting criminals in need of apprehension, for reporting sites cleared in accordance with the Vigilante Act, or for your potential attendance at endbringer fights or other A-S-class threats. Would you like to sign here to accept?"

Cell Phone Vote:
[X] It might be hyperbolic to say that a cell phone killed your mother, but there's a reason you and Dad have avoided them all these years. Don't take it. Gain Gifts Ungiven.
[X] It's time to move past old hangups, cell phone is how this is coordinated, so you'll have to get used to it. Take the phone. Gain Generous Gift.

"We have Miss Militia here to explain the benefits of Protectorate cooperation and to offer you a Wards membership, would you like to meet her today?" Lucas offers.

Miss Militia Vote:
[X] You've always wanted to meet her, and she's already here. You should meet her. Gain ???.
[X] Wards membership? No way, you shouldn't even stick around to hear her out. Gain Refuse // Cooperate.
[X] Write-in

A/N: Trying something different with the vote this time. Let me know what you think.

 

She accepts the phone and signs on the dotted line for it. She gains Generous Gift, and the phone feels almost as ungainly in her pocket as an elephant would. She'd have to get used to it.

"Let's do it" she responded to the offer, and shortly thereafter, an olive-skinned woman with dark hair wearing military fatigues and a bright American flag bandana as a scarf came in. It was Miss Militia, as evidenced by the swirl of green energy that moved from a bushwhacker in her hands into a revolver on her belt.
"Hi there, I hear you're going by Wildcard?" Miss Militia asked, and reached out a hand to shake.
As Taylor unsteadily returns the handshake, she gains Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile. "Yeah, I'm Wildcard, I'm pretty new to all this, but I have the power to summon a variety of creatures or things."
"Interesting, as an independent hero, we have the option of extending up to 3 invites to patrol with us in the protectorate; just to show the ropes and incentivize you to join up. Is that something you'd be interested in, supervised patrols?"

Protectorate Patrols Vote:
[X] Might as well try it out.
[X] Let's schedule all 3!
[X] I'd rather patrol on my own, or rather, with my summons.
[X] Write-in

As Miss Militia's weapon flickers from a revolver to a hatchet on her other hip, you gain a Masterwork of Ingenuity. Her attention is drawn from Miss Militia's weapon to the woman herself when she continues chatting, asking why you decided to be a hero, if there was any chance of you joining up in the future, and sharing a humorous anecdote about her first time out with the wards, where she held up a group of defeated gunmen despite her power being stuck in the shape of a water gun.

Responses Vote:
[X] I decided to be a hero because that's what the world needs more of, I'm going to consider joining up, but I'm not sure yet
[X] I decided to be a hero because nothing else feels important to me, this work, I feel like I can make a difference. I don't think I'll join up, but I'll keep an open mind.
[X] I decided to be a hero because I got powers, and, well, I don't want to be a villain. I could see myself joining up.
[X] Write-in

Miss Militia doesn't seem to have anywhere to go, and is happy to continue regailing her with stories of heroics past. She tends to include pointers and lessons within the stories too. Does Taylor stick around to listen?

Return Home Vote:
[X] You don't have time to stick around if you want to patrol tonight.
[X] You don't have time to stick around if you want to be sure Dad doesn't get suspicious.
[X] Yeah, stick around, gain a Reconstruct History and improve your relationship with Miss Militia.
[X] Write-in

 

Miss Militia proposes she have her first supervised patrol on Wednesday 6pm-12am, and she accepts, having no reason to refuse. Wildcard asks who the patrol will be with, apparently it'll be Miss Militia and whichever Ward is on duty that day, which Miss Militia doesn't know yet.

"I decided to be a hero because nothing else feels important to me, this work, I feel like I can make a difference. I don't think I'll join up, but I'll keep an open mind." Wildcard explains.
"I respect that; and an open mind is all I ask."

Miss Militia eventually asks about your armor, and Taylor reveals that it's power-made. After that though Miss Militia goes back to sharing stories and tips, and she gains a Reconstruct History.

On Monday she plays out a Forest, Forest, Plains, draws to replace her hand, gets a Forest and a Plains, plays them, and redraws. She's left with Feeling of Dread, Swiftfoot Boots, Crawling Sensation, Hunter's Edge, Relentless Pursuit, Lash of Malice, and Rookie Mistake. She plays Relentless Pursuit, getting a Caustic Caterpillar and a Brockton Bay Central Library. She plays the Library and goes about her day.
In school, during Computers she has to look up some Javascript terminology she'd forgotten for an assignment, and she gets Relearn. In Biology, just looking at a list of medical herbs and their uses gets her Healing Leaves. She eats lunch in a janitor's closet to avoid the cafeteria, and manages to get through the day with a minimum of bullying.

Deck Vote:
[X] Keep it all the same
[X] Put in Rousing Read (x2), Generous Gift, Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile, Masterwork of Ingenuity, Reconstruct History, Relearn, or Healing Leaves. Take out the same number of cards.
Our current decklist is here. You can include cards from the sideboard to bring in if you'd like.

Plan Vote:
[X] Go patrolling before going out with Miss Militia. It'd be good for that not to be your first time.
[X] Wait for the patrol with Miss Militia so that you're sure you know what you're doing.
[X] Write-in what to do instead Monday and Tuesday evening.

 

On Tuesday, her opening hand is Forest, Leather Armor, Hornet Nest, Relentless Pursuit, Reconstruct History, Deputy of Detention, and Zask, Skittering Swarmlord. She plays the Forest and draws a Brockton Bay Central Library. She plays that and draws a Plains. She plays that and draws a Crawling Sensation. She plays her Relentless Pursuit, revealing a Plains, Mountain, Winslow High School, and a Forest. She takes the Mountain, and the rest go to her graveyard. She plays the Mountain and draws a Moldgraf Millipede. She tucks her bandana and beanie into one of the pockets on her cargo pants and heads to school.
Madison spends World Affairs pelting her with spitballs. She's torn, it's obviously not worth outing herself over, but should she respond, or would that just mean Madison had succeeded in getting a rise out of her? Should she involve the teacher? Mr. Gladly's not usually helpful, but it is his job. Or she could try to solve this herself?
Bullying Vote:
[X] Try to get Mr. Gladly to do his job and stop this. Gain Appeal // Authority.
[X] Step over and palm strike the straw she's using to spitball you right into her throat. She deserves that and more. Gain Response // Resurgence and Violent Outburst.
[X] Do nothing, it's not worth it. Gain Hardened Scales.
[X] Write-in. Gain ???

After she's finally out of school, she takes the time to work out her homework for the rest of the week. She's not sure if she's just in a better headspace, or if her power's made her smarter, but she breezes through writing both papers and solving her math assignments. One thing she noticed is that as she was doing the work, she was repeatedly using and refreshing her Blue mana from Brockton Bay Central Library. It's something to investigate.
Before bed that night she does some research on parahumans, reading about Trigger theory, Passenger theory, and a few religious theories. Ultimately, she learned that people don't know a lot about parahumans.

On Wednesday, her opening hand is Thriving Grove, Plains, Zask, Skittering Swarmlord, Rookie Mistake, Giant Ladybug, Swiftfoot Boots, and Healing Leaves. She plays the Thriving Grove, choosing Blue, then the Plains, and draws to replace them, getting a Circuit Mender and a Deputy of Detention. She draws again, getting a Reconstruct History, which she discards, then a Wall of Swords, which she discards, then finally another Plains, which she plays. In her basement that morning she summons her Giant Ladybug and chooses a Mountain to go to the top of her deck. She draws and plays it, then draws a Relentless Pursuit. She plays the Relentless Pursuit, putting a Utility Knife and Feeling of Dread into her graveyard, and a Forest and Moldgraf Millipede into her hand. She plays the Forest and turns to the Giant Ladybug.
"Can you understand me?"
The ladybug nods her head, her whole body shifting with the motion.
"Are you intelligent? Can you speak?"
The bug hesitates and then gently shakes back and forth.
"Ugh, I'm doing this wrong. Are you intelligent?"
It doesn't respond.
"Do you have your own mind?"
She's not sure if she's projecting confusion onto it, or actually picking up on the body language of a ladybug.
"Can you make decisions?"
This time it shakes its head. She sighs and sits on the steps. Then she summons Zask, Skittering Swarmlord. Their chittering voice is strangely comforting. "Greetings, Master, how can this one serve you today?"
"Hi, Zask, are you intelligent?" She gets straight to the point.
"I'd like to think I'm as intelligent as the average human" Zask replies reasonably.
"And you can make decisions, right?" She questions.
"I can, though you can trust they'll be in your best interest. I am after all an echo budding off of your soul, I can only exist while you survive." They reassure.
"But this ladybug can't?"
Zask hisses with laughter, the insectoid equivalent of a chuckle; "No, that is a simple mana construct. I am Legendary, and thus more."
She can't wait to get access to Brigid. Should she draw and discard till she gets her, just to talk to her? Or wait until the deck churns her up naturally?
Draw and Discard Vote:
[X] Draw and discard till you hit Brigid. There's no real consequence for doing so, so you might as well.
[X] Wait till she comes up naturally. You have your first patrol today, and you don't know what happens when you reach the bottom of your deck.

 

She focuses on what Mr. Gladly is saying and lets the spitballs pass her by. She gains a Hardened Scales. Madison's not worth her time.

On Wednesday, she has fewer classes with the trio, and manages to avoid them for the most part. It's after school that she runs into a problem. She doesn't have her costume. Should she draw and discard through the deck to find it? Should she try to improvise without it? That'd probably just result in a hoodie and sweats...
Draw and Discard Vote:
[X] Draw and discard till you come across Leather Armor.
[X] Don't, use an improvised costume, keep your deck at the ready.
[X] Write-in, use ??? for your costume

The other question is whether she should show up to the patrol alone or with a summon. She'd get more options for that if she draws and discards.
Show Up Alone Vote:
[X] Summon reinforcements, just make sure the reinforcements can keep up.
[X] Summon Brigid if she comes up, otherwise go alone.
[X] Go alone, they're only expecting you.
[X] Write-in

As she's considering her options and summoning Swiftfoot Boots, she gets a Prepare // Fight.

 

She takes a bus to the rendezvous Miss Militia had mentioned, getting off and finding an alleyway nearby to change in. She's not sure what she'd do if she had to actually change out of and into clothes, but the Equipping process her powers used only took a moment; blink and you'd miss it. She played and equipped her Swiftfoot Boots first, practically as soon as the alley was empty. The rest of her hand had a Night // Day, a Moldgraf Millipede, a Deputy of Detention, a Circuit Mender, Healing Leaves, and Rookie Mistake. The cards she draws when drawing to replace the boots are a Forest, which she plays, then another Forest, another one played, then after a third minute of waiting, a Brockton Bay Central Library, which she plays and activates: she draws a Forest, and discards Night // Day. She then plays the Forest, then draws Zask, Skittering Swarmlord. She checks her graveyard, yep, Zask is still there, too, from when she summoned him to talk this morning. This is her first time seeing both copies of that card. She draws a Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile, then uses BBC Library to draw and discard a Hunter's Edge. She draws and plays a Forest, draws and discards an Ironshell Beetle, then draws and plays Homeward Path. She draws Hidden Predators and plays it, feeling its protection wrap around her at the edge of her senses. She draws and discards Nantuko Cultivator to hand size; then draws Crawling Sensation, she mulls it over for a moment, then plays it. She gets the feeling she didn't get its full effects last time, no insects under her control, at least. This time it mills 2 Forests, and she draws a Kraul Harpooner, which she discards. Then, finally, she draws her Leather Armor, plays it, and equips it. Goodbye Taylor, Hello Wildcard.

She considers whether to summon Zask or Brigid, but she doesn't have much time before she's supposed to show up. Would it be enough to meet and get comfortable with this Brigid? Zask was inhuman, but dealing with them had become more familiar as she'd had a few goes at it. Better to stick with what's familiar, and maybe summon Brigid if we needed help. Notably, there were only 4 cards left in her deck; and as she considered it, Crawling Sensation went off! It was like she accidentally poked it mentally and suddenly half her remaining library, a Winslow High School and a Caustic Caterpillar, were in her graveyard. On the other hand, she felt a new sense unfolding, an entirely intuitive second perspective joining her own, she noticed a quartet of plump flies that her second perspective's vision and awareness seemed to conglomerate from. She could direct them to move with a thought, though as they raced away from her she felt their 'signal' get weaker. She'd guess they'd stay reliable out to... 60 feet? She couldn't seem to tell them to separate from one another, they flew as a small squad, adjusting only for obstacles and walls in their flight path. Enough experimenting with her power, according to her PRT phone, she has 2 minutes to walk 3 blocks or she'll be late.
She summons Zask and informs him "Today we'll be patrolling with 2 known heroes; I don't expect any trouble, but we'll likely intercede in any trouble we find."
"Understood, Master."
"And don't call me master, call me Wildcard."

As the girl in full leather armor and gleaming silvery boots was accompanied by the many-legged insect that rivaled her in size, they walked out of the alley and up the road towards the designated intersection. Ahead of them, she could see Miss Militia alongside a recognizable blond girl with a green visor. It looked like she'd be patrolling alongside Vista. She could see the moment Miss Militia spotted her, followed by Vista turning to take her in. And then she could see the moment after that, when Miss Militia registered the giant insect following alongside her, by a widening and then tightening of the eyes. She must have said something to Vista, because with the visor the girl displayed no visible reaction to being approached by her and Zask except to wave and smile. "Hello Wildcard, my name is Vista. It's always an honor to meet new heroes."
"Hello Vista, Miss Militia, um, this is Zask, they're the summon I've got to join us today" Taylor replied.
"It's good to see you again, Wildcard, if it's fine with you, we'll be taking a walking route in through the Boardwalk and towards the vicinity of Clarendon High. The plan is for our route to stop and turnabout at Clarendon Park, cross the park, and come back three blocks north of where we came out, finishing up just at the intersection up there, but if that's too long for you or we run into any trouble, you can back off at any time. We'll finish out the route and it'll be no sweat." Miss Militia explained.

"Did you name Zask yourself, or did the name come with your power?" asked Vista once you'd gotten underway.
"They came with that name, and they can answer your questions themself" Taylor offers, eager to help the younger heroine.
"They can talk?" Vista exclaims.
"I̸ ̴c̸a̵n̸ ̵s̴p̵e̷a̶k̵" Zask's chittering voice sounds, and she has no trouble understanding them, but Vista replies:
"Is that supposed to be legible? I didn't catch any of that"
"I̵t̷ ̸m̶a̴y̴ ̷b̶e̵ ̸t̸h̴a̸t̸ ̸o̵u̵r̷ ̷c̴o̸n̴n̴e̶c̸t̶i̷o̶n̶ ̷h̷e̷l̸p̴s̶ ̴y̵o̶u̶ ̵u̶n̶d̴e̷r̸s̷t̷a̴n̸d̷ ̸m̴e̷" Zask explains, which she parrots:
"Zask thinks my power helps me understand him, but he's able to communicate with me at least, and he can understand you just fine."
"Cool, I wish my power came with a teammate."
...
"You know, it'd be awesome to have another girl on the Wards. We just got Shadow Stalker, but she doesn't seem much like the friendly type." Vista chirps into the quiet that had settled.
"I don't know, I think I've had enough of teenage drama for a lifetime" she explained her honest objection to the idea of the Wards.
"It comes with lots of benefits, not just the 6 digits of pay, but training and experience you can't get anywhere else."
Response Vote:
[X] For now I want to avoid the Wards, they involve too much oversight (sugarcoat that for Vista, explain that you want freedom).
[X] Let's permanently avoid the Wards, you summon your own team.
[X] Do they have trial memberships? Could you change your mind once you've been at it for a month?
[X] Would you have to tell your Dad about your powers? What would it take to keep that under wraps?

It's as they've been patrolling for a little over an hour and have passed out of the nicest, touristy part of town into the still-nice, but more practical neighborhood just north of the Towers, that something goes amiss. The first sign of trouble is the faint drone of someone on a loudspeaker a block away from their path, at what the sign indicates is an electronics store, 'Jake's Electronics & Repair', it reads. She sends her flies to investigate.
As soon as they're around the corner and they can see what she can, Miss Militia barks out commands like this is what she was waiting for, "Vista, get us in close; Wildcard, send Zask with-" glass shatters at the storefront as a wild arc of lightning momentarily blinds them. The civilians are doing a fairly good job of getting themselves out of the way, so you're blinking your eyes to see the culprit standing proud with arms wreathed in a electricity over a wire mesh. He's wearing a yellow and black jacket under that and one of those rubber full-face masks that's supposed to look realistic, with fake stubble shading a mostly bald head above a mustache and goatee, but you recognize his voice:
"Try the neon, bro! Just focus and shake loose a blast or two!" Leet yelled/shrieked, which must mean that the other one, standing taller in the doorway with a black coat that he filled out well and a red beanie over his mask, also with wire mesh around his arms, would be Über. They made a career off of being too ridiculous to take seriously, and streamed their video game-themed crimes to an audience of thousands. Their 'antics' in the past had included baiting and then viciously beating prostitutes in one extremely sick example of GTA 'gameplay', and she wasn't eager to see what they were up to today. Fortunately it seemed less sinister than beating innocent prostitutes, but she still intended to stop them. "Can you send Zask ahead with me and tell them to follow my orders? I'm going to try to take down Leet before any more lightning is released." Miss Militia asked in a clipped tone, not taking her eyes off the incident ahead. "Will you follow behind us to engage Über and keep him from making off with the merchandise? Vista, you are to maintain second operational distance as a first priority, and support our efforts only as a secondary priority."
Engaging Über and Leet Vote and Sub-Vote:
[X] "Zask, follow Miss Militia's orders, help her deal with Leet. I'll accost Über", choose a plan to engage Über from those below or Write-In
- [X] Command your Hidden Predators beast to engage on him.
- [X] Get close and distract him, then when he tries to respond hit him with Rookie Mistake.
- [X] Summon mce-anchorBrigid to provide ranged fire on Über.
- [X] Summon a Circuit Mender and, while you distract Über, have it weld their bag of stolen goods to the street. It should only take a moment.
- [X] Summon a Moldgraf Millipede and have it tackle him!
- [X] Summon your Deputy of Detention and send Über on a trip out of this reality.
- [X] Write-In some combination of cards to use or implement a plan without cards.
[X] "No, listen up, Zask is disposable, and I'm tough, so we'll take the frontline, both of you stay back to provide ranged support. See if you can make the lack of an intact shopfront window a good thing, huh?", choose a plan for dealing with Über or Leet, and tell me how Zask is going to engage on the other, OR, Write-In something completely different.
- [X] Have Zask scare the shit out of Über and get him away from the merchandise, while you try to take down Leet using a well-timed Rookie Mistake and mundane hand-to-hand (Hey! You were in a self-defense class! Once... Years ago...)
- [X] Have Zask use a calculated dose of venom to disable but not kill Leet, you can fix it with Healing Leaves later, you think; or leave it for Panacea. Summon an Ironshell Beetle from the graveyard using Zask to buff ourselves up, then give Über an old-school ass-kicking.
- [X] Write-In
[X] "Write-In what to say and what to do"

 

"Do you have trial memberships? Could I change my mind once I've been at it for a month?" Taylor asks.
"Miss Militia!" Vista calls ahead to her mentor, "Did you hear that? Wildcard's asking about a trial membership in the Wards."
"That's something we could arrange, we often include unique clauses in Wards contracts, and Wards are always allowed to retire from hero work without a stated reason, so I can't imagine it'd be difficult." Miss Militia explained. "If you're interested, you could bring your legal guardian in as early as tomorrow to negotiate your contract and sign the papers."
Trial Membership Vote:
[X] "I'll bring my Dad in tomorrow!"
[X] "Can I join without my guardian knowing?"
[X] "I'll keep that in mind, but for now I'd like to try it as an independent,"
[X] Write-In

Later, Miss Militia's voice came out much more quickly and much more harshly, "Can you send Zask ahead with me and tell them to follow my orders? I'm going to try to take down Leet before any more lightning is released. Will you follow behind us to engage Über and keep him from making off with the merchandise? Vista, you are to maintain second operational distance as a first priority, and support our efforts only as a secondary priority."
"Zask, follow Miss Militia's orders, help her deal with Leet. I'll accost Über" Wildcard orders her summon and declares her intent. In just a few warped footsteps, Miss Militia was at the window, loading a real con-foam grenade into a power-generated launcher. Zask followed her soundlessly, and she gave them a bare nod of acknowledgement.
Meanwhile, Wildcard got a warped path bringing them up to the doorway Über was in, takes it, and announces, "Put down the electronics, or get put down, yourself." She thought it was pretty good for first-time repartee.
Über smirks, and goes to put hands on her and, presumably, get her into a hold. The timely use of Rookie Mistake puts that plan to bed, and Wildcard smoothly steps out of his grip, practically untouched. That's when things start to escalate, and Über launches a wave of magenta light through the air. Stepping into the way from seemingly nowhere is a large panther-monkey creature with hands that end in long black claws. Hidden Predators. The magenta bolt burns into its side, but doesn't stop it from reaching out and batting Über onto the ground with one massive swipe. She gains a Timely Reinforcements. Über pulses into neon light and reforms back through the entryway to the store, minus the duffelbag of stolen goods, and says "Target practice! Just what I needed!". he brings both arms together and in a wash of neon, the beast is lifted up into the air, surrounded by a charging bubble of the stuff. The beast writhes helplessly in the air, and Über follows up the wave of neon with more targeted blasts, aimed at the bubble, which bursts into light, revealing no beast left.
Miss Militia's foam grenades were intercepted with whips of electricity, which seemed to stop them from expanding to full effectiveness; so she ordered Zask to go in and subdue Leet as she launched a power-generated net at him. The net managed to knock Leet on his ass, and Zask seemed to terrify him, but the response to that terror was the unleashing of a veritable storm of electricity. Zask was heavily burnt, and momentarily paralyzed, but continued to wrap Leet up. Miss Militia shouted for him to tear up the mesh he was weaing, which he dutifully started on.

She shakes herself, she should've used the time the beast bought her for something more than watching him obliterate it. Now Über's sighting on her, she leaps to the side to avoid a magenta projectile; damn, those move fast. Despite her preemptive dodge, she got burned along her trailing arm. She gains a Brittle Blast. It's not bad, but she's sure she has her armor and the now-fading Rookie Mistake to thank for that.
What should she do?
[X] Summon her Moldgraf Millipede and order it to subdue Über.
[X] Summon her Caustic Caterpillar from the graveyard, and order it to destroy Über's mesh suit.
[X] Summon her Deputy of Detention to send Über on a time-out.
- [X] Whatever you do, also empower Zask with venom to help him deal with Leet.

Taylor's Life Total: 8
A/N: Ward didn't apply in this case against the blast (as it's technology, not a power or magic), but the extra toughness helped reduce the damage taken.

 

"I'll keep that in mind, but for now I'd like to try it as an independent." Wildcard explained.
"Of course; if you decide to settle on that route, you can always set up joint patrols like this one to coordinate with the local Protectorate." Miss Militia explained.
They continued their patrol.

During the fight, Zask started to tear up Leet's mesh suit, but the suit started to let loose flaring arcs of lightning; driving Zask to spasm, leaving bloody rents in Leet. As Leet dropped, Miss Militia called for Zask to back off. Once they had, she let loose with another containment foam grenade.
Meanwhile, Wildcard had just watched her beast get vaporized. She considered sending a giant millipede in; but decided to go for an option with slightly more finesse. She summoned her Deputy of Detention, directing its forming attention at Über. A white sphere of light formed in the air where he was standing, and he didn't step out of it.
"The enemy has been detained" the blue-skinned figure she'd summoned announced.
She met up with Miss Militia, and ensured that Leet was safely ensconced in con-foam. Zask was recovering quickly from being electrocuted, and her spy flies had settled into a vantage on the neighboring building's wall. She felt... drained, but accomplished. She gained a Capture Sphere for her trouble. She drew a Masterwork of Ingenuity without trying to. She was painfully aware that there was only 1 card remaining in her library. Waiting around for pickup took about 30 minutes, during which Miss Militia talked through the events with you and Vista, who was disappointed because she "didn't even get to do anything!"
"Don't be down that you weren't involved this time, just spend that energy thinking about what you'd do for next time" Miss Militia gently chided.
Arriving with the van full of PRT squaddies with the dissolving agent was a figure in blue and silver power armor, one who didn't need to introduce himself, but did anyway: "Armsmaster, head of the local Protectorate. You must be Wildcard." With a nod he acknowledged, "Miss Militia."
"Ar-armsmaster, it's an honor to meet you" Wildcard responds, momentarily starstruck.
"And you are?" Armsmaster asks your Deputy, who looks entirely disinterested in responding.
Deputy of Detention Response Vote:
[X] "Oh, that's just an extension of my power, you don't need to worry about them."
[X] "Respond to Armsmaster's questions"
[X] Write-in

They spray Leet down with the dissolving agent, then restrain him, strip him of tinker gear, and bundle him into the back of the van. Armsmaster and Miss Militia set up around the sphere of softly glowing white, and signal for you to drop the effect.
"Deputy of Detention, drop your effect"
"Yes, master"
And before Über has gathered more than a fistful of energy, Armsmaster has him tranquilized. He strips him out of the mesh suit, taking it for 'investigation', then bundles him up to join Leet.
Vista congratulates Wildcard on a successful first patrol and a successful first cape fight.
End of Patrol Vote:
[X] Thank her, and ask Miss Militia if you can do this again.
[X] "That means a lot", exchange PHO handles.
[X] "Thanks, I can't wait to patrol on my own"

When Taylor finally gets home, it's only 11:30, but her Dad is already asleep. She sighs in relief after having creeped up the stairs, and stalks to her bed to flop.

Thursday, she plays two Forests and a Thriving Grove, choosing White, to compliment the Night // Day and Feeling of Dread in her hand, along with a Zask, Skittering Swarmlord, and a Leather Armor. She draws 3 more to replace them and gets a Forest and Plains, which she plays, as well as a Wall of Swords. She draws to replace the 2 lands and gets a BBC Library and a Hidden Predators. At school, the first hours of the day go well, but when she gets to World Affairs there's juice on her seat. There aren't any spares, so she's forced to go to the bathroom for paper towels, which makes her late. Trying to explain that she needed to clean the juice off her seat results in Mr. Gladly sighing and saying that if he took excuses, he'd never have to hand out late slips. Great, she'd already gotten 1 late slip in this class during first semester, so she only needed 1 more before she got another detention.

She gets through the rest of the school day, taking off in a hurry once it's done. What should she do with the rest of her day?
Thursday Vote:
[X] Do some running, you need to get in shape.
[X] You have your costume, might as well try patrolling.
[X] You need supplies, go buy X (You currently have $116)
[X] Take the day easy, you just kicked ass on your first patrol, you deserve a break.
[X] Write-in

 

Wildcard explains away her Deputy of Detention as an extension of her power, and exchanges PHO handles with Vista. Vista's you could have guessed, she tells you to contact her at her official Vista account. What handle do you give her, though?
PHO Handle Vote:
[X] Wildcard (Unverified Cape)
[X] Wildcard
[X] Owl_Annette
[X] Write-In a PHO handle, with or without any tags

Thursday evening Taylor goes jogging. After getting back and giving it an hour to rest, she goes out for another 30 minutes of jogging.
Friday she gets Circuit Mender, Masterwork of Ingenuity, Zask, Skittering Swarmlord, Nantuko Cultivator, and 2 Forests and a Plains; all three of which she plays. She draws 3 to replace them and gets Hornet Nest, Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile, and a Winslow High School, which is played. She draws to replace it and get a Rookie Mistake.
Most of Friday goes well at school, until last period. She gets another copy of Rookie Mistake when her math assignment is intercepted by Julia, who tucks it away into a binder, leaving her to explain why her worksheet isn't turned in.
"Taylor, it looks like yours isn't here, did you do the homework?" Mr. Quinlan asks after looking through the worksheets. He doesn't even check that any of the work is correct, just that it's turned in.
Math Class Vote:
[X] "Julia stole my assignment, I saw her tuck it into her binder there."
[X] "I lost it, I'll get another and turn it in on Tuesday."
[X] "I turned it in, I don't know where it disappeared."
[X] Play Masterwork of Ingenuity as a copy of your assignment and hand it in as if it were a normal worksheet.
[X] Write-in a response

Friday evening, she keeps up her routine of jogging, but doesn't go for a second round like yesterday.
Saturday she gets Swiftfoot Boots, Leather Armor, Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile, Giant Ladybug, Night // Day, Caustic Caterpillar, and Crawling Sensation. The first card she draws is a Forest, which she plays; then a Mountain, which she plays. Then she draws a Kraul Harpooner, which she discards. Should she keep digging, play the Boots and Armor, and think about going on a patrol? Or should she stay in and do next week's homework? She's gotta do it sometime, if she wants to stay caught up with school.
What To Do With Saturday Vote:
[X] Contact Vista, ask about patrolling.
[X] Patrol on your own. Make yourself seen, and be a public-facing hero.
[X] Patrol on your own. Use Crawling Sensation's to find crimes and stop them.
[X] Do your homework.
[X] You've been maintaining a routine of cardio, let's add other exercises into the mix. Push-ups, planks, squats, crunches, lunges, etc.

On Sunday she gets a Forest, Brockton Bay Central Library, Homeward Path, all of which she plays, and Feeling of Dread, Wall of Swords, Night // Day, and Moldgraf Millipede, which she doesn't play. She refills her hand with Zask, Skittering Swarmlord, Rookie Mistake, and Giant Ladybug. She thinks about what she wants to do with the day over a breakfast of an omelette and bacon that her Dad made. Her ponderings are interrupted by an unexpected invitation, "Taylor, I'm going to visit your Mom today. Would you like to come with?"
She hasn't been to her grave in over a year. Should she go?
Sunday Vote:
[X] Go with Danny to Annette's grave. It's good to mourn, and you miss her.
[X] Say no, you want to spend the day
- [X] Doing your homework
- [X] Patrolling.
- [X] Exercising.
- [X] Write-in
[X] Write-in a response